Shloka 73

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वापरुषंवाक्यंरावणंरावणानुजः ।आजगाममुहूर्तेनयत्ररामस्सलक्ष्मणः ।।6.17.1।।

Transliteration

ityuktvā paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ rāvaṇaṃ rāvaṇānujaḥ |

ājagāma muhūrtena yatra rāmas salakṣmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ രാവണനോടു കഠിനവചനങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞ ശേഷം, അവന്റെ അനുജനായ വിഭീഷണൻ ക്ഷണനേരംകൊണ്ട് ലക്ഷ്മണസഹിതനായ ശ്രീരാമൻ പാർത്തിരുന്ന സ്ഥലത്തെത്തി.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थे निपातः (particle/quotative: "thus")

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having done earlier)

• परुषम्: harsh
• परुषम्: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifier of vākyaṃ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular); विशेषणम्

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म; object of uktvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• रावणम्: to Ravana
• रावणम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान; addressee/target of speech)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• रावणानुजः: Ravana's younger brother (Vibhishana)
• रावणानुजः: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (genitive determinative: "Rāvaṇa's younger brother"); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• आजगाम: came/reached
• आजगाम: Kriya (क्रिया; main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) उपसर्ग: आ-
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect; narrative past); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन (3rd person singular); परस्मैपद

• मुहूर्तेन: in a short while
• मुहूर्तेन: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; temporal circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular); कालवाचक-तृतीया (instrumental of time: "within/in")

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; locative sense/place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb of place: "where")

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; located entity in yatra-clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• सलक्ष्मणः: with Lakshmana
• सलक्ष्मणः: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifier of rāmaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास (sa- = "with" + noun); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies rāmaḥ)

Context

Vibheeshana, having addressed Ravana in harsh language, reached Rama and Lakshmana in a short while.

Characters & Entities

• Ravana
• Vibhishana
• Rama
• Lakshmana

FAQs

Why did Vibhishana speak harsh words to Ravana before leaving?

According to Dharma, it is the duty of a righteous minister or brother to speak the bitter truth (Satya) to prevent a king from committing sin. Vibhishana's harsh words were a final attempt to correct Ravana's path before abandoning him.

What is the significance of Vibhishana arriving 'in a moment' (muhurtena)?

The swiftness indicates the decisive nature of Dharma. Once one realizes that Adharma (unrighteousness) cannot be corrected, one must abandon it immediately to seek the refuge of the righteous (Rama) without hesitation.